In data storage systems, digital data are written to and read from data storage surfaces. One well-known type of data storage system is a disk drive, which reads and writes information along concentric tracks formed on disks. Another type of data storage system is known as a probe storage system, which reads and writes information from and to a data storage medium made of, for example, a ferroelectric material, although other materials may be used. Probe storage systems have a greatly increased capacity for data storage (currently up to 1 Tb/in2). In order to meet high data rate requirements, an array of probe tips are used to read and write data from and to the data storage medium simultaneously. Although this approach is cost efficient, such designs result in increased power consumption, especially in the analog signal conditioning circuitry. As power consumption is a design constraint that can limit the capacity and speed of a probe storage system, it is desirable to minimize the amount of power consumed by probe storage system circuitry.
Thus, there is a need for data storage systems and methods that have circuitry designed with reduced power requirements to allow for improved capacity within the data storage systems.